Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Saturday's racing coming your way from Randwick on 1 January 2022.
Best Bet: DRAGONSTONE (Race 7)
Value Bet: KIR ROYALE (Race 9)
Jackpot (race 7 – 10)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
4 | 1 | 7 | 5 |
| 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | 4 | 1 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 7
The day’s best bet, DRAGONSTONE has only had the five runs to date but has posted two wins, two seconds and a third-place finish. He followed up his penultimate run victory over five furlongs with second spot finish next time out when stepping up to 1100M, three lengths behind the winner, but the form of that race has stood up well with three runners out of that contest subsequently winning. He gets gate seven and has his peak run after returning from a 19-week rest.
VAN GIZ is a 5yr old mare taking on the boys, but she has finished closer to the winner in each of her last three outings, the latest when second over five furlongs, 1.3L back from the victor when returning from a 20-week break. She is drawn one inside the top choice and will get 3kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice, so she should be right up there when they hit the line.
LEO renews his rivalry with the latter after missing out on his hat-trick when finishing fourth in the race mentioned above, three lengths back from the winner. It should however be noted that he jumped awkwardly that day and was hampered at the 600M mark as well as being crowed at the 150M pole. He was returning from a shorter 10-week rest that day and will have 2kgs taken off his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice. The gelding has cracked pole position, but as the pair meet on identical weight terms today, he may have to settle for the same result.
Race 8
TOOMUCHTOBEAR goes for his hat-trick after wins over ten furlongs and the latest, a head victory over seven furlongs, when returning from a 14-week absence. He overraced in the early and middle stages that day and had to be steadied off the heels of other runners at the 600M mark, but did finish off his race well. He seems a versatile sort who, from his handy gate four and with the services of a 3kg claiming apprentice, looks to be the one to side with here.
SPEED LEGEND is seldom far off the action and made good late progress when ending up in second place last time out over a mile, just a head behind the winner. He is sure to put his pole position to good use.
FOR VALOUR has won two of his last three outings, the latest when going from jump to wire to claim a just under half a length victory. He faces a wide draw ten, but he should use his early gate speed to move across without consuming too much energy.
Race 9
KIR ROYALE is a 3yr old filly taking on males, but she has her hat-trick run after wins over 1300M and the latest over six furlongs by 0.8L. She jumped awkwardly and was bumped at the 300M pole that day and then did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight, only seeing daylight at the 120M mark. She was also reported to have been cut into that day and despite being drawn the widest of them all in gate twelve, she is taken to be the value bet on the day’s card.
SNITZONFIRE on the other hand has a cosy gate three and has consistent formlines to his name, finishing third in his latest start over six furlongs, just a half-length back from the winner, notwithstanding hanging out on the home turn. He will be looking to turn in another honest performance today.
I AM LETHAL has won two of his last three runs, the latest a short-head victory over seven furlongs and the form of that race has been franked. He has also finished fourth in a subsequent barrier trial. The colt will have to overcome draw nine, but on the plus side, he will get 3kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice to aid his cause.
Race 10
QUEEN BELLISSIMO is a 4yr old filly taking on boys, but she has won two of her last three outings, the latest over six furlongs by just under a half-length. She kicked clear at the 150M mark in that race and then held off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire. She gets gate five and should give the males a good run for their money.
RUBAMOS is drawn one outside the top pick and had his consistency rewarded with a one and a half-length win last time out over 1300M. He raced just behind the leaders that day and struck the front at the 200M pole and then had enough in the tank to fight off the chasing pack.
EL BUENA finished strongly to get up in the shadow of the post to claim a head victory last time out over six furlongs, suggesting that the extra ground on offer here will be to his liking. He will have to negotiate gate ten, but is likely to be dropped out of it in the early stages and then start to pick off the frontrunners over the latter stages of the race.
